


And I'll Never Go Home Again

by coffeehanjan



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Coming of Age, F/F, F/M, Fem!Eren, Fem!Levi, M/M, Non-Binary Hange Zoë, REALLY brief I swear they were like 13, Rule 63, actually I'm trying to make it so every single character except the parents are swapped genders, brief mention of past Eren/Mikasa, same goes for warnings, will add characters as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-10 03:57:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2010069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeehanjan/pseuds/coffeehanjan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren and Levi go on a cross-country road trip together while Eren tries to figure herself out. Between all the couch surfing and shitty hotels, Levi finds herself slowly gathering the courage to tell Eren how she really feels about her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Place the call, feel the start

**Author's Note:**

> Shitty summary is shitty!
> 
> I've always wanted to go on a huge cross-country road trip, and I've always wanted more Ereri femslash. And so, this fic was born. 
> 
> I will warn you- I struggled to write this first chapter, so updates will not be quick or consistent. But unlike some of my other projects (*cough*RideorDie*cough*) I actually have a general plot progression laid out, so that should keep it going. If I don't post this now, it's going to rot on my hard drive forever and I really want to see this through. Apologies in advance!
> 
> It felt weird to have some characters with swapped genders and others not, so for the time being I'm going to tentatively declare this to be a fic where everyone is swapped. Hange (and potentially Nanaba later on) are the exception, as they'll be non-binary here. But it also feels weird to tweak some of the names to be more "gendered", so I dunno. If anything, I'll probably keep the names intact while swapping anyway. Who says there can't be a sweet freckled lady named Marco?
> 
> I will also be posting updates on my tumblr: [levi-be-my-heichou](http://levi-be-my-heichou.tumblr.com/)

When Levi opened her apartment door at 1 AM, eyes bleary and tank top slipping off her shoulder, she did not expect to see a tear-streaked Eren. Mid-yawn and mid-belly scratch, she blinked the sleep from her eyes as the muted sounds of _Hoarding: Buried Alive_ drifted over her shoulder into the space between them. Levi didn’t even have a moment to feel embarrassed when the broken crack of Eren’s voice echoed through the quiet stillness of the hallway.

 

“Levi,” Eren whispered, her bright emerald eyes brimming with tears. “Levi, I…”

 

Levi’s brain finally caught up with the sight before her – Eren’s unruly hair pulled back in a sloppy bun, her bangs in disarray and stray strands plastered to the uneven redness of her cheeks. Levi frowned and gently placed her fingers on Eren’s cheek.

 

“Eren, what is it?” A crease formed between Levi’s thin brows as Eren took a shuddering breath. Agitated voices from the TV continued to fill the shaky silence, but Levi’s focus was on the distressed girl before her.

 

“Levi,” Eren began again, her plush lips trembling. “I can’t stay in this town anymore. I can’t take it! I just-“ She paused to take a shaky breath. “I need to get out of here. _Now_.”

 

Well. Levi _definitely_ wasn’t expecting _that_. She stroked Eren’s cheek with her thumb before withdrawing her hand. “Come on inside,” she mumbled, voice still gravelly with the kind of exhaustion only born from trashy TV marathons. Eren nodded and slipped through the door, making her way to the kitchen table as Levi turned the lock with a soft _click_. Eren placed a duffel bag on the floor beside the legs of her chair, sniffling and pushing her hair out of her face. _Oh, she was serious_ , Levi thought, a frown tugging at her lips. She shuffled over by the couch to turn off the TV and collect her empty beer bottles and half-eaten bag of Oreos while Eren got settled.

 

Even with her eyes reddened from crying, Levi couldn’t help but think that Eren looked so beautiful in the low light of the kitchen. But Eren was always beautiful – tall, lean, athletic, and feminine just the same, all strong nose and olive skin and dazzling, verdant eyes. She could be flushed with a coquettish sort of embarrassment one moment, then cackling and yelling obscenities that would make sailors blush the next. No matter her mood, she had a steely determination that Levi adored. But the sight of Eren hunched over the table, hands shaking and beautiful eyes downcast, was one that Levi had only seen once before.

 

Levi made her way over to the kitchen table and adjusted her tank top, suddenly conscious of the fact she didn’t have a bra on. _Ah, shit_. Well, Eren probably wouldn’t notice _. Probably_. She brushed her fingers against Eren’s forearm to get her attention. “Do you want some coffee?”

 

Eren nodded, and Levi went through the motions of making coffee for the both of them. It gave Eren the privacy to compose herself, not to mention the fact that Levi wanted to be able to give her full attention for whatever this was. Caffeine was a necessity. And maybe even an Irish coffee was in order. Levi quietly pulled a bottle of Jameson from the cabinet above the stove and set it by the coffee maker.

 

After she had pulled two mugs out, Levi returned to the kitchen table to wait for it to finish percolating. Eren glanced up at her through her lashes, her hands clasped on the table before her. “Where’s Mikasa?”

 

Levi pushed her short hair back out of her face, scratching the undercut portion above her nape as she replied. “He’s working the graveyard shift tonight. You know how he is – nursing school by day, working his ass off at the pharmacy by night. A total machine.”

 

Eren nodded and gave a small, fond smile. “He’ll make a great nurse with that sleep schedule.”

 

Levi chuckled and stood when the coffee maker beeped. “Yeah, well, one of us has to become an upstanding member of society. Holiday dinners are bad enough as it is.” Levi grimaced as she poured the coffee into two mugs, making sure to add cream and two sugar cubes to Eren’s and a shot of whiskey to her own. “It’s always ‘Levi, why can’t you get a _real_ job?’ ‘Levi, what will you do with an _art_ degree?’ ‘Levi, why do you put so much metal in your beautiful face?’ ‘Levi, would it kill you to wear a nice dress for once?’” She snorted in exasperation as she set the mug before Eren, trying not to get caught up in those ephemeral blue-green eyes staring back at her. “At least now they’re so focused on congratulating Mikasa on getting into a good nursing program that they only come after me half as much as usual.”

 

Eren tsked and shook her head, sipping at the coffee with a sad smile. “It’s such a shame that they can’t see how amazing you are,” she whispered, almost as if to herself. Levi choked on her coffee at the words, her face reddening at an alarming rate. “Oh, um, I mean –“ Eren began, setting down the mug to wave her hands frantically. “Ah, _shit_. Are you ok?”

 

Levi could only nod through her coughs and wipe her mouth with the back of her hand. When she could finally breathe again, Levi could feel her heart pounding in her chest. “You… you think I’m _amazing_?” she asked quietly, her voice settling over the table between them.

 

Eren’s face was now fully red again, and she rubbed the nape of her neck as she turned her gaze downward. “Um, yeah. Of course I do! You’re so decisive and driven about what you want in life. Not a lot of people have the courage to put their art out into the world without becoming discouraged like you do.”

 

Levi coughed again and hid her face in her mug. “Oh. Um… thanks.” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to die from joy or mortification. She decided to push it aside and get to the root of what Eren was here for. “So, not to ruin the atmosphere, but…” Eren was biting her lip, her shoulders tensing at the words about to leave Levi’s mouth. “What’s wrong, Eren? You said you wanted to leave, but why? And where to?”

 

Eren’s breath was shaky again, and she began to turn the mug around and around in her hands. “Ever since…” Eren took a deep breath, blowing pieces of hair out of her face with the exhale. “Ever since my mom passed away, my dad has become increasingly hard on me.” Her gaze slid sideways as she continued. “He’s not even around half the time, but when he is, it’s like he’s given up on me. On life.”

 

Levi reached across the table to take one of Eren’s hands in hers. She was rewarded with a brief but grateful glance and a squeeze of the hand. “That’s fucked up. You don’t deserve to shoulder that.” Levi’s voice was low and dangerous, and had she been an animal her hackles would be raised. Eren squeezed her hand again without looking up.

 

“I could put up with it for a while. I _have_ been putting up with it for these past few months since the funeral. But… _tonight_. Tonight he crossed a line.” Eren’s eyes were aflame and transfixed on the contents of her coffee cup. Levi felt a lump rising in her throat, a quiet anger bubbling just below the surface of calm she was showing now. She moved her hand to entwine her fingers with Eren’s, hoping it was enough to offer the other girl some comfort.

 

Finally, after what felt like ages, Eren lifted her gaze to meet Levi’s. “Tonight, he admitted that I remind him too much of my mother. Said that he can’t bear to look at me.” Her breath became labored again, tears pricking the corners of her narrowed eyes. “He flat-out said that he never wants to see me again, and that if I didn’t leave that house, he would.”

 

Levi was feeling murderous. Absolutely _homicidal_. She wanted nothing more than to kick Grisha Jaeger in the face for saying such a thing to Eren. Sweet, determined Eren. No one, especially her own family, had the right to make her feel this way. Levi wanted vengeance. Levi wanted _blood_.

 

Tears streamed down Eren’s cheeks silently, and Levi pushed her anger aside in favor of providing what little comfort she could. She stood and hurried to Eren’s side to envelop her in a tight embrace. For once, Levi’s short stature worked to her advantage, as she was at the perfect height for Eren to bury her face in Levi’s chest to cry. Levi hummed and rocked Eren in place, running her hands up and down her back in soothing gestures.

 

“Levi,” Eren whispered, her voice wobbly and rough from overuse. “Please take me out of this town. I… I need to get away. Anywhere but here.”

 

Levi frowned and hugged Eren closer. “What if you just stayed here with me and Mikasa? I’ll let you stay in my room, if you want.”

 

Eren shook her head. “No… I – I’m grateful, but I can’t stay in Trost. I don’t want to run into him- don’t want to be within 100 miles of that bastard.”

 

Levi’s thoughts were racing. She was overjoyed that Eren would come to her, but it wasn’t exactly easy to just drop everything and leave in the middle of the night. “What about Armin? Could you stay with her for a little while? I could drive you up there.”

 

Eren shook her head again. “No, when my dad – _Grisha_ ,” she corrected with a grimace, “isn’t home, he’s at GWU. Armin’s also in the medical school, so even though they’re not in the exact same department, it would be like walking right into him.”

 

Levi sighed and nodded to herself. Of course Eren would’ve gone through all the possibilities first. And frankly, Levi was probably the most flexible of all of them, since she was able to work remotely for her day job. But she still couldn’t just pack up her truck and ride off into the night with Eren at 2 AM with no plan in place.

 

“Eren,” she tried again, speaking into Eren’s soft head of hair. The scent of mandarin oranges – the scent of _Eren_ – fell over her like a warm blanket. “Eren, you have to understand – we can’t just leave right now. It’s 2 in the morning – where will we go? How can I be sure I won’t fall asleep at the wheel? What about Mikasa? What about my job? What about your dancing?”

 

Eren squeezed Levi’s torso tighter and sniffed. Levi’s voice softened to a whisper. “Look, I’ll take you out of town. I will. _I promise_.” Eren’s gaze snapped up to meet Levi’s steely gray eyes. Levi held up a finger just inches from Eren’s nose. “But stay over tonight. You need to sleep. _I_ need to sleep. We need to make some sort of plan, even if it’s vague. And I need to tell Mikasa.” Levi moved her hand to tuck stray strands of hair behind Eren’s ear. “Ok?”

 

“Ok,” Eren whispered. She suddenly looked exhausted, shadows forming below her eyes and lips pursed in a tight line. Levi’s hand slipped to the nape of Eren’s neck of its own accord, and she pulled her into another gentle embrace.

 

“Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

 

Eren’s lips curled into a small smile. “Is it ok if I take a shower first?”

 

Levi patted the top of Eren’s head and released her from the hug. “Of course. Take your time.”

 

While Eren brought her duffel bag into the bathroom and started her shower, Levi took to cleaning up the kitchen and coffee pot. As an afterthought, she shot Mikasa a quick text so he’d be at least somewhat mentally prepared for the situation.

 

Levi: _Eren’s here. She’s really upset – we’ll talk about it when you get home._

 

The moment Levi set her phone down, it buzzed with Mikasa’s response.

 

Mikasa: _Got it. I’ll be home in 5._

 

True to his word, Mikasa came hurrying through the door just as Levi had finished cleaning out the coffee pot. Mikasa’s eyebrows were drawn down with concern, the lightweight red scarf Eren had given him years ago wrapped around his strong neck.

 

Mikasa wasted no time in striding up to her with the seriousness of a soldier on a mission. “What happened to Eren? Where is she? Is she OK?”

 

Levi rolled her eyes and sat down at the kitchen table. “I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just that…” She glanced over at the bathroom door. Eren was still showering, but she lowered her voice anyway. “Eren showed up looking like shit, like crying and everything, and I…” Levi ruffled her hair in frustration. “She wants me to take her away from town. I don’t know where, I don’t know how long. I just know that she wants to get away from here and I can’t say no to her.”

 

Mikasa’s eyes narrowed. “What happened, exactly?”

 

“Let me put it this way, since I’m sure Eren will tell you all the gory details when she’s ready and it’s not really my story to tell.” Levi paused to think of the best way to word her next few sentences. “Grisha is a fucking asshole and Eren couldn’t deal with his shit anymore. They argued tonight and she had the last straw, so she packed her bags and came over to our place. I had to coax everything out of her, but she was desperate to leave town immediately. I figure we could head for Hanji’s for the time being, then figure out things from there. Tonight she’ll stay here with us.”

 

Levi listened to the quiet sound of Mikasa’s breathing. “Look,” she continued. “I think Eren just needs some time away from Trost, from Grisha. And she can’t stay with Armin because Grisha also works at the GWU hospital. And honestly? I’m the one with the most flexible schedule and I’m the one who can hold my own in a fight someone tries to fuck with us. Not that many people try to fuck with me in the first place.” Levi took a shaky inhale. “Ok?”

 

Mikasa sighed. “Yeah, ok.” Levi let out the breath she’d been holding. “So any chance I can talk to Eren now?”

 

Levi glanced at the bathroom door again. Still occupied. “She’s in the shower right now. I don’t know how much longer she’ll be. You can wait or talk to her in the morning if you want.”

 

Mikasa’s voice took on a teasing tone. “Oh? She’s in the _shower_ , huh? So you two are sharing a room? Will you be sharing beds on this road trip under the premise that it’s cheaper?”

 

Levi practically growled. “Ha ha, real _funny_ , Mikasa. Make fun of your lesbian sister when she rooms with another girl. Real _original_.”

 

Mikasa was chuckling, which Levi supposed was a good sign. “It’s only funny because your crush on Eren is painfully obvious.”

 

“That’s it. I’m going to bed.”

 

“Levi! You’re no fun!” Levi tsked and shook her head, hurrying back to her room with a huff. For good measure, she flicked him off and stuck out her tongue from the doorway, her barbell piercing catching in the fluorescent light of the kitchen.

 

Levi plugged in her phone by the nightstand before laying back on the bed to check for messages. A few minutes later, the bedroom door clicked open and Levi stole a glance of Eren as she slipped inside. Levi’s breath caught in her throat and she quickly averted her eyes at the sight of Eren’s attire. A loose chartreuse tank top fell just below the curve of her ass, though a glimpse of hot pink underwear was visible when she bent over to stuff her dirty clothes in a laundry bag. Levi tried not to ogle the gentle swell of her breasts as she moved about the room putting things away. God, this was dangerous territory. _Ok, Levi, quit being such a pervert!_ she chided herself. _How the hell are you going to last on a road trip with this little goddess? What are you, a fifty-year-old man? Get a fucking grip!_

 

Eren was seated at the foot of Levi’s bed, her legs tucked under her as she slowly braided her damp hair. Her eyes were still downcast, a small smile on her lips while her fingers worked. Levi watched her in silence, transfixed by the swift movement of Eren’s nimble fingers. When she finished her braid, Eren’s bright green eyes met Levi’s cloudy grays.

 

“It’s getting late, huh?” Eren whispered. She began to play with the hem of her shirt.

 

Levi shrugged. “Eh, I’ve stayed up later when trying to meet a deadline.”

 

Eren nodded absently. “I’m tired but…” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t think I can fall asleep.”

 

Levi rolled over on her side to face Eren fully; it was a little difficult to see her from this angle, but she caught her gaze all the same. “Too much going through your head?” she guessed. Eren just nodded. Levi wondered for a moment if she was about to cross a line, but Eren looked like she could use some more reassurance. “Eren.” Levi opened her arms and gave Eren a pointed look.

 

When Eren tilted her head and furrowed her brow in confusion, Levi grunted in reply and waved her hands in a beckoning motion. Eren’s eyes lit up and Levi swore her tail would be wagging if she were a puppy. She wasted no time in slipping between Levi’s arms and tucking her head in the crook of her neck. Levi made sure to pull Eren close and entwine their legs before burying her nose in Eren’s hair.

 

Levi was on the brink of sleep when she felt Eren whisper against the column of her throat. “Thank you, Levi.”

 

 _What am I ever going to do with you, ma bichette_ , Levi thought as she gave Eren’s shoulders a gentle squeeze.


	2. Favorite Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren say their goodbyes and hit the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Added new tags to reflect content from this chapter- I hope it doesn't turn people off, since it's just a teeny tiny thing. Enjoy!
> 
> (Also please correct my French if it's wrong anywhere- I googled "French idioms" for like 2 hours before I chose the one I did, so I hope to the high heavens that it's right, lol)

Once Levi’s breathing had evened out, Eren let out a heavy sigh, the weight of her situation finally falling down on her shoulders. Guilt nagged at the forefront of her thoughts – Levi didn’t have to do this, but she went along with it anyway. Eren had practically begged her, sure, but Levi was anything but a pushover. If she really didn’t want to go on this trip, she would’ve said no.

 

Eren had to admit – the thought of the two of them traveling around the country, joking, bickering, sightseeing, _sharing hotel rooms_ – was incredibly alluring. Eren just hoped she wouldn’t do anything too embarrassing. Ever since that time she slept over at Armin’s and woke up from a dirty dream writhing and whispering Levi’s name, she was a little apprehensive about falling asleep anywhere near other people. Let alone the object of her affections. She was lucky that Armin had taken it all in stride with a smirk and a snickering, “ _Levi, huh_?” Still, she couldn’t imagine making this trip with anyone else.

 

In the dark of the bedroom, Eren’s thoughts drifted to Levi’s tattoos. Across her back was a massive pair of blue and white interlocked wings, and on her left thigh was a tattoo made to look like a frilly garter with a pistol tucked in it. Eren knew she also had small tattoos on the insides of both of her wrists – on the left, “ _le chien aboit_ ” and on the right, “ _la caravane passe_ ”. Levi had explained that together, they created an idiom that meant something along the lines of “Let the world say what it will”.

 

Eren tuned into the rhythm of Levi’s breathing as she began to drift into slumber. With each exhale, a puff of warm breath would brush over her forehead, and the sensation lulled her to sleep completely within minutes.

 

 

She was on cloud nine the following morning. Even though her head ached like she’d spent the night drinking, waking up to Levi’s scent and Levi’s warm breaths and Levi’s furrowed brow and Levi’s pouting lips while enveloped in Levi’s wiry but muscled arms – it felt amazing. She reached forward to brush a few strands of Levi’s straight black locks out of her eyes, giggling when the motion made Levi’s eyebrow twitch. She refrained from poking the bar piercings there, instead letting her hand rest at the junction of Levi’s neck and shoulder.

 

Eren took her time re-counting Levi’s piercings (two eyebrow bars, one nose stud, one tongue barbell, one bellybutton ring, and six earrings per ear) as she slept. Levi was a surprisingly heavy sleeper, considering how jumpy she could get from being touched while awake. Eren didn’t want to wake up from this. _Ever_. She nuzzled the crook of Levi’s neck, wishing she could just stop time.

 

But as all good things must come to an end, Eren’s reverie was interrupted by the bedroom door creaking open. She snapped her eyes shut and feigned sleep, listening intently to the sound of Mikasa’s footsteps approaching the sleeping bag on the floor. She heard her friend sigh and whisper, “Idiots,” before reaching over to gently shake Levi’s shoulder.

 

Levi groaned and curled into Eren’s warmth like a roly-poly. Mikasa snorted and shook her shoulder again, whispering “Levi, wake up!” Eren snuggled her face back into the crook of Levi’s neck to hide her smile, which only grew when Levi reflexively tightened her embrace. Eren’s heart was racing now, and she was sure her cheeks were flushed too. If only Mikasa would let them have just ten more minutes like this…

 

Suddenly, there was an audible _thwack_ , and Levi’s body jerked against Eren. Her eyes opened into slits as she fixed her brother with a murderous glower over her shoulder, all the while cradling Eren close.

 

“What the actual _fuck_ , Mikasa?” Levi hissed. In the interest of feigning sleep, Eren tried her best to suppress a giggle. She could picture Mikasa’s bored expression, hands on his hips as he stared down at the two.

 

“It’s time to get up,” he mumbled, clearly unaffected by his sister’s glare. “I want to talk with Eren before I go to class. And say goodbye if you guys are leaving today.” Levi grumbled incoherently for a minute before she began to stretch out her limbs. “I also made breakfast for all of us, and it’s getting cold.” With that, Mikasa retreated back into the main room of the apartment.

 

Eren kept her breathing regulated but allowed herself to cuddle up against Levi as she shifted around. She felt a sigh against the top of her head, followed by gentle fingers pushing her bangs out of her face. “Eren.” Levi’s voice was as soft as her touch. “Eren, it’s time to get up now.”

 

Eren put on her best pout and tangled her feet with Levi’s with a whine. Eren heard Levi’s breath hitch in her throat, and when Eren finally opened her eyes, she was greeted with the wonderful sight of a light blush dusting Levi’s cheeks.

 

“Why so early?” Eren mumbled, her words garbled with sleep.

 

Levi chuckled and tapped Eren’s nose. “Because Mikasa wants to see you, and he’s about to leave for the day.” Eren’s pout remained on her face, and Levi groaned. “Don’t look at me like that, you know how he is. Let’s just humor him, ok? We don’t know when we’ll see him again.”

 

Levi must have seen acceptance in Eren’s eyes because she finally untangled their legs and stood up. “He even made breakfast, apparently. I’m gonna take a piss but feel free to help yourself to food.” Eren nodded and yawned, stretching out like a cat. Levi hurried out the door, and Eren took a moment to appreciate the sway of her hips as she moved.

 

After struggling into a pair of sweatpants- she and Mikasa were close, but not close enough to parade around in underwear together- Eren shuffled out of the bedroom. The smell of French toast and coffee filled the air, and Eren grinned at the sight of Mikasa dishing up three heaping portions, his face stoic as ever. As she approached the breakfast bar, those Ackerman gray eyes locked with hers, warm and inviting.

 

Eren suddenly was struck with a sense of déjà vu - a distinct memory of thirteen-year-old Mikasa smiling at her in that exact same way invaded her thoughts. The crisp winter air, the soft halo of the street lamp, the nervous laughter they shared- she could recall it like it had happened just yesterday.

 

-

 

_They had been tiptoeing around each other for the past month- after three weeks of dating it became clear that they didn’t work as a couple. There was an amicable breakup, but things suddenly took a turn for the awkward. They would acknowledge each other at school in the hallways, but they weren’t talking for hours on the phone or texting anymore, and Armin had a difficult time convincing the three of them to hang out at the same time._

_As Mikasa’s birthday approached, Armin had ambushed Eren back to her house. She had taken Eren by the shoulders and asked, “Is this how you want things to be between you two?”_

_“No,” Eren had whispered, eyes averted._

_Armin had pulled her into a tight hug. “Mikasa’s very reserved with his emotions. I guarantee you he won’t be the one to reach out. You have to be the one to take that first step, Eren.”_

_Eren had let the tears fall while Armin had held her close, rubbing her back all the while. The next day, the two girls went shopping for Mikasa’s present. One hand holding Armin’s in a death grip and the other shaking so hard she had difficulty typing a message on her phone, Eren finally gathered the courage to ask Mikasa to meet her in the park on his birthday. He replied with a simple_ OK, _and Eren couldn’t fight the wave of anxiety that plagued her until February 10 th rolled around._

_But Eren was gifted with a determination that was like a massive, stone wall- unyielding and towering above all else. So she had pushed all feelings of discomfort aside and met Mikasa at the park. As soon as he arrived, she shoved the present to Mikasa’s chest with a quiet, “Here.”_

_Mikasa shifted around uncertainly before carefully unwrapping the gift, making sure he didn’t rip any of the paper. When he opened the box to reveal a soft, red scarf, his eyes suddenly filled with an overwhelming warmth that Eren had never seen in him before. She almost didn’t hear him whisper, “You remembered.”_

_“Of course I remembered how you were eyeing that scarf,” Eren replied easily, a tentative grin creeping onto her face. “Just because we broke up doesn’t mean that I stopped caring about you.”_

_Mikasa’s features softened as he wrapped the red scarf around his neck. “You’re right. Thank you, Eren.” Unable to contain her relief, Eren threw her arms around Mikasa’s shoulders in a bone-crushing hug. “A-and I feel the same way. That I care about you as a best friend, I mean.”_

_Eren beamed back at him. “Do you think it’s too late to call Armin up for a horror movie marathon tonight?”_

_Mikasa’s smile grew. “Let’s do it!”_

 

-

 

“Did you sleep all right?” Mikasa’s smooth voice brought Eren back to the present. She sure was spacing out a lot today, and it wasn’t even nine in the morning yet. Eren scratched the back of her head, her unkempt braid flopping around with the movement, and hummed an affirmative. Mikasa chuckled to himself, but his eyes still betrayed his concern. “How are you feeling?”

 

Eren plopped down on a stool at the breakfast bar, and Mikasa slid a cup of coffee in her direction. _Bless these Ackermans_ , she thought, a small smile curving on her lips. She took a sip of the coffee so she could mull over her answer. There was really no use in hiding anything from Mikasa; he could read her like a picture book.

 

Eren’s eyebrows drew down and she let out a sigh. “Honestly? I feel like shit. Grisha basically told me he doesn’t want to see my face ever again, and he gave me an ultimatum to get lost or he’d move out and sell the house himself. He’ll probably sell it anyway, the prick.”

 

One glance up at Mikasa told Eren that she never wanted to cross an Ackerman if she valued her life. His murderous glare was almost identical to Levi’s the night before. Warmth spread through her chest at the thought of having such protective friends.

 

“Where the fuck did _that_ come from? What the fuck kind of parent says that to their own _kid_? Especially after-“ Mikasa cut himself off, casting his gaze down to the kitchen counter. “After what you’ve been through these past few months.”

 

Eren huffed and attempted to straighten her bangs out. “Fuck if I know. I just grabbed everything I could and ran here.” She turned the warm mug in her hands, hesitating with her next words. “He… he said that I remind him too much of her.” Eren gulped. “Of Mom.”

 

Mikasa clenched his fist on the speckled countertop, his teeth gritting together in frustration. “The _fuck_ kind of reasoning is that? I can’t believe people actually entrust their _lives_ with such a-“

 

“Cuntbucket? Malformed dildo?” Levi’s voice carried across the apartment as she approached the kitchen. “Massive shitstain on the very fabric of time and space?”

 

Eren couldn’t hold back a grin at Levi’s vulgarity, and a not-so-secret glance exchanged between the siblings led her to think that maybe Levi was trying to distract her from dark thoughts with the creative insults.

 

“That sounds about right,” Mikasa replied quietly, handing his sister her own cup of coffee as she joined Eren at the breakfast bar. “So, about this trip. How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

 

Eren had begun to dig into her French toast now that Levi had arrived, so she paused in chewing to consider it. Levi had said that they needed a plan, right? She glanced over at Levi, whose hair was no longer mussed but whose eyes were still weighed down with sleep. Eren swallowed her toast and shrugged. “I’m not really sure… I guess it’s up to how long Levi wants to be out of town.”

 

Levi rolled her neck and it cracked in a few places. “We’ll stay on the road as long as you need to, _bichette_. Don’t worry your pretty little head over me.”

 

Eren’s cheeks flushed at “pretty little head”, but neither of the siblings seemed to notice. They were speaking to each other through their eyes and shifts in their expressions; if Eren, Mikasa and Armin didn’t do the same thing, Eren might think it was kind of creepy.

 

Levi finally broke the silence. “I’m going to call Hanji today, see if maybe we can stay with them for a while in New Orleans. Then we can figure out what to do from there.” She chewed thoughtfully on a piece of French toast. “You know, I bet Erwin will let us crash at her ranch in Dallas. And I’m sure Hanji has friends on the West Coast we could visit, if you want to go that far.”

 

Eren nodded, her eyes widening in excitement at the possibility of crossing the entire country. “I have some friends in Seattle! Oh, and in Boston and New York, too, although that’s not really on the way.”

 

Mikasa regarded Levi for a moment, taking a sip of his own coffee. “What about Izzy and Farlan? I’m sure they’d love to meet Eren.”

 

Levi’s eyes lit up at the mention of her childhood friends. “Please tell me you brought a passport, Eren.”

 

Eren tilted her head. “Passport? I mean, yeah, since I didn’t want to leave it at the house with Grisha, but why?”

 

Levi snorted. “Because they might not let you into Canada without a passport. I mean, you could probably get in without, but I don’t want to drive all the way up there just to run into a border patrol officer with a stick so far up his ass he won’t let a teenage girl into the country.”

 

“Canada?” Eren looked to Mikasa for confirmation. “Wait, that’s right! You guys moved here from Montreal when Mikasa was in first grade! How could I forget?”

 

Levi and Mikasa both chuckled at the sight of Eren bouncing around on her stool. “Yeah, I’ll definitely give Izzy and Farlan a call. It’s been… shit, six? Seven? Years since we’ve seen them now? They’ve been bugging me to visit again.”

 

Mikasa nodded. “You’ll like them a lot, Eren.”

 

Eren grinned in reply, taking note of how Levi hid her own soft smile with her coffee cup.

 

“Well,” Mikasa’s voice cut through the comfortable silence that followed. “I really need to head out if I don’t want to be late to class.”

 

Eren gulped and chanced a glance up at her friend; his jaw was set in a firm line of determination, but the slight slump of his broad shoulders and crossed arms revealed his inner turmoil. She shuffled around the breakfast bar to where Mikasa stood, tugging on his forearms until he dropped his arms to his side. Eren pulled Mikasa into a warm and gentle hug. “I promise we’ll be careful, Mikasa,” she whispered, giving a little squeeze. “Levi will keep me safe. And I’ll make sure she eats and sleeps properly.”

 

Mikasa finally brought his hands from where they’d been hovering at his sides to rest around Eren’s shoulders. “You’d better text me every day so I know neither of you are dead in a ditch somewhere.” Mikasa’s voice was uncharacteristically rough, and Eren wondered if he was fighting back tears.

 

“Don’t worry, we will,” Eren reassured.

 

They stood in a tight embrace for another minute before Levi cleared her throat. “I hate to break… whatever _this_ is… up, but you’re going to be late for class, kid.”

 

Mikasa pulled away and sent an accusatory glare in his sister’s direction. “Come here, I’m cashing in my allotted Levi hug for the year right now.”

 

Ordinarily, Levi would groan and protest at the gesture of affection from her brother. But she had a feeling that she and Eren would be on the road for quite some time, so she acquiesced without complaint. Their hug was much briefer and firmer than Eren’s and Mikasa’s- there was always a sort of rival camaraderie in the air between them from years of competing in martial arts with one another.

 

“Don’t die. And take care of Eren.”

 

Levi snorted. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t overdo it. I’ll send in my half of the rent every month, so actually _check_ the mail instead of letting all those damn flyers accumulate in the box.”

 

Mikasa gave a mocking salute before sending Eren another small, genuine smile. “Good luck, Eren.”

 

Eren grinned again. “You too, Mikasa. Don’t be a stranger!”

 

With a soft click, the apartment door closed and Mikasa was gone. Eren tampered down the sharp pang in her chest, choosing instead to think about what kinds of souvenirs would make him smile like that.

 

Levi clamped a hand on Eren’s shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. “I’m gonna take a shower and get ready. We can hit the road later this morning, if you want.”

 

Eren nodded and began to clean up the kitchen in silence.

 

By eleven, they were on the road in Levi’s giant black four-seater pickup. The weather wasn’t _too_ humid yet, so they kept the windows rolled down and the radio’s volume up high. Levi could barely make out the sound of Eren singing along to the music as she tapped her fingers to the beat. Her glittery turquoise nail polish was beginning to chip, but Eren either didn’t notice or just didn’t care.

 

They drove on a scenic route in relative silence for a few hours, deciding to stop in a college town for lunch and a trip to the local WalMart. They weren’t even in the store for a whole five minutes before Eren disappeared into the labyrinth of clothing racks. Levi sighed and made her way over to the grocery section to pick out some camp-friendly foods, eyeing a couple of men waving shotguns around in the sports section. They sounded more like a couple of banjos playing than actual human beings talking. _That’s country life for you_.

 

Levi was staring intently at a wall of about a thousand different kinds of granola bars when she felt a sudden tap on her shoulder. She whipped around, arms at the ready in a defensive stance, only to find Eren’s grinning face.

 

“Jesus, kid. Don’t come at me from behind,” Levi grumbled as she turned her attention back to the rows and rows of colorful boxes. She was getting a serious headache. Why were there so _many_?

 

“Levi,” Eren singsonged, stepping closer. “We _have_ to get these!”

 

As Levi turned to glance at Eren, two pairs of white boxers were shoved into her face. She pulled back a little to give her best _what the fuck?_ glare, but she couldn’t help but stop to read the offending objects. They were white with the words “I got 99 problems, but my swagger ain’t one” in scrawling red script.

 

The second Levi’s mind processed what they were, she fixed Eren with a deadpan stare. “No.”

 

“But-“

 

“ _Fuck_ no.”

 

“Levi, come on!” Eren whined. “It’s fun! I’ve always wanted a pair of ironic underwear. And they’re only $3.99!”

 

“You couldn’t _pay_ me to wear that shit, Eren. You’re putting it back. Now.”

 

“But _Levi_!” Eren was pulling out the big guns: her wide, emerald puppy dog stare. _Oh shit_. “C’mon, we can use them as like, jammies or something! I know you secretly love this kind of cheeky stuff.”

 

Levi found herself chuckling. “Did… you just say _jammies?_ What are you, five?”

 

Eren’s face flushed as red as the writing on the boxers she clutched to her chest. “What? Don’t you say that? What do _you_ call them, then?”

 

Levi was laughing too hard to answer right away. “Uh, _PJs_?”

 

Eren turned and stomped towards the registers in a huff. “Whatever. I’m buying these, and one of them is yours, whether you like it or not.”

 

This was going to be a long, long trip indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that I picture Trost to be around the location/size/demographic makeup of Chantily, Virginia (which is a suburb-ish area outside of DC on the Virginia side). OH and I also forgot to note last time - Armin's at GWU (George Washington University), which is a really good private university in DC. Grisha works at the research hospital there.
> 
> Also, sorry for people not into EreMika- it really is just a blip in their friendship timeline, but I felt compelled to add it. I just remember around that age friends tend to try dating each other for the sake of dating, and it usually doesn't really work out, lol. I don't plan on bringing it up again. I like adding little anecdotes like that to depict their friendship. I'll probably have a few of other characters (like Armin!), for both Eren and Levi at some point

**Author's Note:**

> "Ma Bichette" = a French pet name that means "my little doe"
> 
> I just wanted Levi to have a cute name she calls Eren, and I figured she'd choose something like this because of Eren's doe-eyes
> 
> Also: Eren and Armin are 18, Mikasa is 19, Levi is 25


End file.
